MONDAY, APRIL 24, 2006

PITTSBURGH COMICON: BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS PANEL

MONROEVILLE, Pa. -- When it comes to films based on his properties, Brian Michael Bendis says, "I have no control, I just ride the wave."

He seems to be nativigating pretty well of late, providing an update on three projects during his panel at the Pittsburgh Comicon on Saturday.

The Torso movie got a positive jolt recently.

"To the shock of me and Marc Andreyko, David Fincher signed on to direct," Bendis said, "which is great because he is the only one who should direct it."

Fincher's signing cleared the way for a new deal with Paramount for the film's rights.

"I was at Paramount about a month ago and had an awesome meeting," Bendis said. "It sounded great."

Ehren Kruger is writing the adaptation, which will count Todd McFarlane among its producers.

Bendis said he recently handed in his screenplay for Jinx, which is set up at Universal. Charlize Theron has been attached to the project.

"Now we'll see how badly Domino killed our chances," he said, referring to a similarly themed film that tanked at the box office. "It was received well and now we'll see what happens."

Powers remains set up at Sony and Bendis admitted it would be an "expensive" movie.

"I might have some news soon," he said. "Something interesting happened last week and we'll see if it sticks."

Bendis, who was an executive producer on MTV's Spider-Man animated series, said he will never leave comics, but will take film opportunities as they are presented -- even though he said he thinks "it will be a miracle" if any of the movies actually gets made.

"I don't want to pull an Alan Moore and do another round of bitching every two years," he said.

In other notes from the panel:

* On the Ultimate Power series he is writing with J. Michael Straczynski and Jeph Loeb: "Just about anybody who's anybody will be showing up in it."

* Bendis said Civil War is "the best thing" Mark Millar has written.

* Bendis said he would like to see new series based on The Champions and Alpha Flight. "I'm also looking forward to Brian K. Vaughan's Doctor Strange," he said.

* Bendis on the Hulk after the Planet Hulk event: "I think you can count on him coming back a pissed-off Hulk."

* Bendis said working on the Ultimate Spider-Man video game was an "exceptional experience." He couldn't say the same about the MTV animated series, but said he did wish it would have gotten another season. "We could have done so much," he said.

* Ultimate Invasion is not the project he is working on with Marc Silvestri. "It's a slow burner," he said.

* Bendis said Ronan will be a "linchpin character" to the Avengers after Civil War.

"There's also going to be two great Avengers villains you haven't seen in a long, long time who you're going to see at the end of the year," he said.